For Local Church Historians

It is recommended that every church have a historian to preserve the history of the church. There may also be a Committee on Records and History to assist the historian.

The duties of the historian are listed in ¶247.5 of the 2012 Book of Discipline.

A number of resources are available to assist the historian:

Church Historian: Remembering the Past and Inspiring the Future, a booklet in the Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation series, is a comprehensive guide that every local church historian should have. In addition to excellent information about the historian's job, it also contains a helpful resource list. It is available from Cokesbury for $3.25. The pastor may also have a copy.

The website of the General Commission, www.gcah.org, has an excellent section for local church historians, under Ministry Resources.

The Commission on Archives and History offers workshops for local church historians. Contact the representative from your district about setting one up. See Commission Members.

The Commission can also provide suggestions for records management, preservation, writing of history, and celebrations.